Relationships are getting weird in the power industry. The AI build-out is accomplishing what a decade of advocacy couldn’t: turning utilities and distributed energy companies into collaborators. Those who went to war with utilities during the net metering battles of the mid-2010s are now sitting across the table from them, being asked how distributed energy […]
As data centers absorb growing amounts of grid capacity and interconnection delays stretch for years, even modest industrial loads are struggling to secure power. The result is a shift in how factories are sited—and a growing role for onsite energy.
2025 was a record year for distributed energy policy, with states accelerating action on solar, storage, EVs, and resilience. New Pew data shows just how widespread the shift has become.
Speed to power is creating a new market for distributed energy. Three developments from the past week illustrate how varied — and unsettled — the new market is.
WoodMac finds home solar contracting in 2026 but is bullish about its future. Community solar also has slowed, but not everywhere.
Electrons are not political — everyone needs them. And maybe it’s our industry’s own fault. We didn’t do enough to say, “Look, these projects are economic.” It’s a no-brainer in certain states to have solar on your roof.
What is the distributed energy forecast for 2026? A mix of survival and gold-rush fever as incentives disappear, but demand for energy surges.
Who will capture the market for virtual power plants? Competitive distributed energy companies or utilities? Or is there room for both?
Independent developers and advocacy groups fear that, if approved, the Minnesota program will create a model that other utilities nationwide may follow, undercutting competition in the distributed energy market.
Unlike programs under which the utility procures and owns distributed energy resources — such as Xcel’s Minnesota program — Xcel’s Colorado pilot avoids utility spending that would be passed through to electricity rates.